Religious and private schools in New Jersey will get an additional $11.3 million in security funding from the state — doubling the amount they currently receive — under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Tuesday.

It was one of two measures he signed aimed at enhancing safety in private spaces; the other allows religious and cultural institutions to use state grants for an expanded number of security purposes.

"Working with our partners in the Legislature, we are taking significant steps to dramatically improve security measures for New Jersey’s children and families," Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement. "I am proud to sign two bills into law that help ensure that anyone visiting a school, house of worship, or community center may be free of fear and intimidation."

Religious and parochial school advocates statewide have lobbied for more security funding for years. The measure gained momentum amid a rise in hate crimes in the country, including the killing of 11 worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October.

The school aid bill means religious and private schools will see an increase in security funding from $75 to $150 per student to spend on measures such as security guards and alarm systems. There are about 150,000 students at non-public schools in New Jersey.

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Faith communities rally in June for the state to give nonpublic schools the same level of funding allocated to public schools for security costs.(Photo: Cheryl Makin/Staff Photo)

Christian, Jewish and Islamic faith organizations had advocated for the bill, which passed unanimously in both houses of the Legislature. Murphy signed the bill Tuesday at the YBH of Passaic-Hillel, a Jewish elementary school.

“This is an enormous win for children and educators in New Jersey’s non-public schools and for everyone who cares about safeguarding our school environment," said Sam Moed, chairman of Teach NJ, an organization that advocates for funding increases to New Jersey’s non-public schools.

But the bill also faced push-back from groups like the Education Law Center, a legal advocacy group, which argued that the state should be investing more in public schools instead of diverting money to private ones.

Attendees applaud the signing of a bill that increases funding for security at private schools.(Photo: Mason Resnick/Teach NJ)

Through the program, nonprofits in New Jersey deemed at high risk of terrorism attacks can now receive grants to hire security personnel or pay for safety measures such as shatter-proof glass, lighting, fencing and card access readers. The grant money was previously restricted to use for security personnel.

The two measures gained support amid an increase in hate and bias incidents based on race, religion and ethnicity. Nearly 500 hate crimes were reported in New Jersey in 2017, a 76 percent increase from the previous year, according to FBI data.

Nationally, reported hate crimes rose 17 percent, the biggest annual increase in more than a decade. FBI crime data is based on voluntary reporting by local law enforcement agencies, and experts say the data is often underreported or incomplete.

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